CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT & STRATEGY | CONTENT DIRECTION & PRODUCTION | ACTIVATION

adidas Originals: FW23

In FW23, adidas embarked on a fearless re-positioning and category reset of Originals as we knew it - spearheaded by a brave simplification of the iconic adidas trefoil logo with the single minded objective to establish a lasting and influential presence, emphasising legacy over the adoption temporary viral trends.

Understanding the nuance that exists in our market, we used the medium of still portraiture to explore the faces and voices that had shaped and will continue to shape the culture of Originals in South Africa and through their stories began to celebrate the cultural positioning of adidas Originals in South Africa in way that felt honest and true to the legacy and spirit that has become synonmyous with the iconic Three Stripes.

The Three Stripes | Immortalised By The People | To Create Originals

Close-up of a woman with braided hair, wearing hoop earrings and a white top, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression, with large white text 'ORIGINALS' and a small adidas logo overlaying the image.
Andile Dlamini from Broke, for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Originals Portraits
Close-up of a young woman with short, curly hair and blue earrings, and a man with a handshake, in front of a metal fence, both wearing sportswear with Adidas logos and a blue cap.
Close-up of a woman with curly hair and earrings, with large white text reading 'ORIGINALS' and a small Adidas logo.
Close-up of a man with glasses in front of a shelf with various colored objects, Adidas logo, and the word 'ORIGINALS' overlaying the image.
Focalistic for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Francesco Mbele or Franadilla, South African DJ, artist and creative, for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Close-up of a person with a shaved head and serious expression, with the word 'ORIGINALS' in large white letters and a small Adidas trefoil logo in the background.
Close-up of a man wearing a black and white patterned Adidas cap, with the word 'ORIGINALS' partially visible in large white letters in the background, and a small white Adidas logo on the right.
Lenzo Mangonyane, Joburg based DJ and creative, for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Liam Swartz for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Nabilah Kariem, Cape Town based creative, for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Nkuley Masemola, South African DJ, model and influencer, for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Close-up of a man's face with a short beard, wearing a yellow and red sports jersey, with the word 'ORIGINALS' and an Adidas logo overlayed.
Close-up of a woman with curly hair, wearing earrings and a green shirt with white stripes, looking directly at the camera. Text overlay says 'ORIGINALS' and a small Adidas logo appears on the right.
Que DJ for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Suleiman Hartzenberg, Stomer's rugby player, for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Tee Slate or Tanya Slater, South African creative for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Tinx Eboka DJ, stylist and creative, for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.
Yay Abe, illustrator and artist from Cape Town, for adidas Originals FW23 which spotlighted the South African voices shaping culture. This portrait reflects the brand’s legacy, authenticity, and renewed focus beyond trends.

OOH BILLBOARD EXECUTION

The campaign portraits were exhibited throughout the city through billboards and wheat-paste executions - amplifying the expanse of our partner and creator network and driving home the originals community sentiment.

Street promotional posters featuring diverse individuals with the word 'ORIGINALS' at the top of each poster, attached to a black wall below a window with metal security bars.
A young woman with long hair standing in front of a black brick wall with graffiti, wearing sunglasses, a black vest over a white shirt, shorts, and black boots.

SEEDING

The partner seeding boxes included 3D printed designs of each of the core campaign franchises, which could be customised through supplied painting sets.

3D rendering of two black Adidas Originals boxes, one open with a blue interior, and a wireframe sneaker model to the right, for the 2023 adidas Originals activation.
Black and white sketch of a cheetah's head with detailed fur and spots.

A multidisciplinary studio space that empowers creation and empowers our heritage and community.

The space powered by legacy adidas partner Lemkus, hosted a series of 4 unique workshops spanning across the mediums of film and concept development, textile development and entrepreneurship in fashion, sustainable footwear design for the future.

Designer Matthew Edwards hosting a round table discussion for the adidas Originals FW23
A diverse group of women sitting on chairs in a well-lit room, engaging in a discussion or presentation, with one woman smiling and the others listening attentively.
Person arranging puzzle pieces on a white table, with various tools and papers nearby.
Three young men working on a sneaker design project at a table covered with crafting supplies, shoes, and papers in a well-lit room.
adidas Originals FW23 activation guest speakers
Two men in a room look at a large machine or display, one wearing a black bucket hat and black shirt, the other in a dark jacket, with a table with photographs or cards in the background.
adidas Originals FW23 activation guess. Two men are looking at a notebook, standing at a table with clothes and other items in a brightly lit room with large windows.
A cluttered worktable with white sneakers, a water bottle, a sketchbook with drawings and writing, a red backpack, a box of colored markers, and a person in a black hoodie working on something.
adidas Originals FW23 activation guest speaker
A young person holding a white sneaker with black and red accents in a minimalist setting with a light-colored wall and a poster taped to the wall.

A COLLABORATIVE SPACE

Stylish wooden rolling cart with blue plastic storage bins and DJ equipment on top, situated in a modern room with white walls and large arched windows.
A sketch of an innovative lighting fixture with labeled components, including a powder-coated body, dynamic LED strip, acrylic cover, and electronic components. Handwritten annotations describe the materials and features like adjustable lighting and LED strips.

The Originals Studio space included custom design pieces, with an “original” custom lighting piece designed by Matte and ThingKing.

The space additionally housed the Originals portraits as an exhibition and product display space.

Display of Adidas sneakers in various colors on white tables in an art gallery with black-and-white and color portraits of diverse individuals on the wall.
Various modern desk and table designs, some with black and white surfaces, featuring the Adidas logo, made of wood and laminate, displayed against a black background.
An art gallery or exhibit space with white walls and large windows. A wall features the word 'ORIGINALS' with descriptive text underneath. Several wooden benches with black tops and a logo are in the foreground.
A blue and white Adidas Gazelle sneaker on display with a description about its history.